


Let's be happy

by applecurry



Category: Echo (Visual Novel 2019)
Genre: Angst, Hallucinations, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, On god we're gonna get Leo some therapy, Post Leo route, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, Supernatural Elements, Surreal, but i dont feel like editing it, leo is sad, specifically the good ending, this is kind of a mess tbh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-16
Updated: 2020-06-16
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:42:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24750265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/applecurry/pseuds/applecurry
Summary: How does Leo cope after being separated from the love of his life? (badly)
Relationships: Leo Alvarez & Carl Hendricks, Leo Alvarez/Chase Hunter
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	Let's be happy

**Author's Note:**

> Leo's good ending is probably my favorite one. It's really bittersweet yet optimistic and it's painful but in that cathartic kind of way, unlike the other endings which are just... painful. Anyway this is kinda heavy lol, hope you enjoy it.

He was lying down on his bed, shirtless, staring at the decaying roof of his bedroom. The light coming through the windows hurt his eyes and the heat of the desert had him soaked in sweat, but Leo didn’t really feel like moving from this spot.

The gun was a comforting weight in his hand. 

He brought up it up to his face and turned it around a little, letting the sunlight reflect on its slick black surface. He didn’t even know what model the damn thing was, bought it on a whim really. 

An arm wrapped around Leo’s stomach and he suddenly took notice of the unmistakable weight of a body next to him. “Mm. What are you thinking about?” It said, using Chase’s voice.

He maintained his focus on the weapon. Carl would probably know what it was, what with all those military shooters he plays. Too bad they’re not on speaking terms anymore.

The thing next to him shifted around and pulled their bodies closer together. It giggled, and the warm breath tickled the fur on his neck.

God, he really blew it. Spring break was supposed to be an opportunity for the group to reconnect, and now they’re more distant than ever. Carl is terrified of him, he doesn’t even want to look at Flynn and everyone else is far, far away and never coming back, including-

The back of the thing’s paw softly caressed Leo’s cheek. The The warmth radiating from it should have been uncomfortable with how hot already was, but it was strangely comforting.

“I love you.”

 _That’s not what you said at the train_.

He was supposed to be the one to bring them together. At least, that’s what he thought he wanted. He knows better now. From the very beginning, a part of him knew the whole thing was an excuse to get back together with Chase. And look where it’s gotten him.

The roof was leaking now. Maybe it had been for a while. The pitter patter of the water hitting the floorboards reminded Leo of rain.

Thinking about that night terrified him. Not just for the monsters and the insane rapist hicks (though they certainly featured heavily in his nightmares), but for the way he had acted towards the people he’d swore to protect.

He looked at the gun again. It wasn’t just what he’d done, but what he was prepared to do. He’d really gotten that close to killing Kudzu. Leo turned the weapon around to meet his face, as if he were about to kiss its muzzle. _Just like this_ , he thought.

The sound of the roof leaks was different now. Instead of a solid surface, the water sounded like it was falling into more water. His room was flooding. 

Leo put his thumb on the trigger and softly moved it up and down, almost caressing it, feeling its texture. The phone on his nightstand started ringing, he let it.

From the corner of his vision, he saw an otter’s paw slowly ride up the length of his arm before resting on his hand. A distant corner of Leo’s mind thought about a scene from an old movie he’d seen with Chase as a kid, with a girl and her dead lover’s ghost doing pottery together. 

The water was touching his sides now, soon he’d be completely submerged. It spoke again, and it was no longer Chase’s voice. “It’ll be over before you know it.” 

Yes. He was so close now. He pressed on the trigger with his thumb and-

“Um, hello?” It wasn’t the voice he’d just heard, and it wasn’t Chase’s either, it was Carl’s. He remembered his phone, it must have gone to voicemail.

“Sorry for calling all of a sudden,” He sounded nervous, like reaching out like this was putting a strain on him. Knowing Carl, it probably was. “I hope this isn’t, like, weird or anything, but I was wondering if you’d like to come over sometime?”

“No one’s heard from you in a while and I was getting kinda worried. Flynn too, even though he won’t admit it, haha. Uh, don’t tell him I said that.”

“But uh, yeah, if you wanna drop by my house and play some videogames and eat my food and smoke my weed you’re always welcome, man. Just let me know.” A long pause. “Take care, alright?”

click

Leo laid there for a while before he let the arm holding the gun fall to his side. After a few more minutes, he sat up. He was alone, and his room was dry. He sniffled a bit, must have been crying without realizing it.

He picked up his phone and looked up Carl on his list of contacts. He tried to supress the pang of hurt at seeing Chase’s contact info right below Carl’s, and sent him a text.

“b there in 5”

As he put on a clean shirt and got ready to leave his house, he thought back the time he confessed to Chase, what he’d said back then, and the implicit promise they’d made.

Let’s be fucking happy.


End file.
